The present invention relates generally to portable storage devices, and more particularly, to transport carts for handling animal cages in a research facility. The present invention is particularly applicable for use in systems for storing, washing and sterilizing cages and cage components for use in animal facilities, and will be described with particular reference thereto.
It is not uncommon in large animal facilities to find thousands of cages containing small animals, such as rats, mice, guinea pigs and the like. Each cage is generally comprised of a plastic tray containing bedding material for the animal(s), a screen separator that is positioned over the tray, a lid covering the screen and tray, and a water bottle having a sipping tube. The water bottle is supported on the lid with the sipping tube extending into the cage. As will be appreciated, it is periodically necessary to transfer the animals to a new, clean (washed and sterilized) cage to maintain a proper living environment for the animal(s).
Replacing a dirty or soiled cage with a washed and sterilized cage requires assembling a cage from clean, sterilized cage components. In large animal facilities, the assembly of a clean cage generally takes place in the room where the animals are housed. The clean components are typically brought into the animal storage room on carts. The clean cage components are usually taken from the cart and assembled near or beside the soiled cage it is intended to replace. The clean components must include bedding material in the tray and water in the water bottle. The same cart that is carrying the clean cage component is often used to receive and transport components from the dirty, i.e., soiled, cage that is being replaced. In this respect, technicians loading and unloading items from these transfer carts must do so in a manner wherein the clean, sterilized cage components are not contaminated by contact with the soiled cage components.
Once the clean cage is assembled with bedding material, food and water therein, the animal is then transferred from the soiled cage to the clean cage, and the clean cage with the animal(s) therein is placed back to its initial position on a cage holding rack.
As indicated above, the soiled cage must be disassembled and the respective components washed and sterilized before they are reused. These items must of course be emptied of bedding material and residual fluid (i.e., water) before cleaning and sterilizing. It is known to utilize large industrial washing systems for washing the various cage components. It is also known to use robots to automatically dump waste material from cage trays, to empty water bottles and to place such components on conveyors for washing. To effectively wash large numbers of components, like components are organized on carts, on pallets, or in baskets that are designed to be placed within the aforementioned large washing and sterilizing units. At facilities having thousands of animals and thousands of cages, the logistics for quickly and efficiently replacing soiled cages with clean cages, as well as the process for handling and cleaning soiled cages, is of utmost importance.
Thus, there is a need to provide a means for storing, transporting and even washing dissimilar components of an animal cage in an efficient, organized manner. It is highly desirable to have a transport device that facilitates the easy exchange of clean and soiled items, and a transport device that is adaptable for use in a variety of types of automated systems. Still further, the transport device must be compatible and easily used in conventional, industrial washing and sterilizing units.
The present invention provides a transfer cart for use in supporting and transferring cage components of an animal cage for use in an animal storage facility.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a portable cart for organizing, supporting and transporting articles. The cart is comprised of a generally rectangular, open frame structure comprised of a plurality of elongated structural members. A plurality of the structural members have apertures formed therein. The cart includes two planar panels that are spaced apart and have a plurality of apertures formed therethrough. A plurality of elongated rods that are attached to and extend between the panels, the rods being attached to the panels using said apertures. The rods define article support areas within the frame structure. One or more support elements are mounted through the apertures in the structural members or the panels. The support elements are dimensioned to support articles. Coasters at one end of the frame member allow rolling movement of the frame member.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide a transfer cart that facilitates efficient and easy handling of cage components in an animal storage facility.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a transfer cart that is adaptable to support components in a number of different ways, and is adaptable to support components of different sized animal cages.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a transfer cart that is usable to support cage components in a washer and/or sterilizer system.
A still further advantage of the present invention is to provide a transfer cart that finds advantageous application with automated robotic systems.
These and other advantages will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.